Khalistan hoardings Issue : BJP Demands Action

Chandigarh, July 3 (IANS): The BJP has demanded immediate action against the hoardings seeking a  'freedom referendum' in Punjab.

The hoardings, which have been installed at various locations across Punjab, talk of "Freedom" and a "Punjab Independence Referendum" in 2020.

The hoardings also display the photograph of militant-separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed in the Army's 'Operation Bluestar' action inside the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar in June 1984.

The hoardings come up at prominent locations in Rajpura in Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's home district Patiala, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar (Ropar) in Punjab.

Neither the state government nor the district authorities or police have taken action over the issue even though the hoardings have been around for three to four days.

The BJP had on Sunday asked that the provocative hoardings should be removed by the Punjab government immediately.

"These hoardings have been put up to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab and to encourage hardliners. The Punjab government should immediately get these removed and take action. We don't understand why the Punjab government is not doing anything," BJP Punjab Vice President Harjit Singh Grewal told the media on Sunday.

"We cannot allow such anti-national elements to further Pakistan's agenda and disturb peace in Punjab," Grewal and other BJP leaders said.

The hoardings have been put up on behalf of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is based in the US.

The SFJ, a US-based pro-Khalistan organization, on Monday warned the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in Punjab not to demand the removal of the hoardings.